Grieving R116 crash victims’ families visit site of horror smash on first anniversary of heroes’ deaths

Pilots Dara Fitzpatrick and Mark Duffy, and winch crew Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith, died on March 14, 2017, when their Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crashed at Blackrock Island, 13km west of Blacksod. A source said visiting Blacksod 'made it all so real' for the devastated families

By Barry Moran

13th March 2018,11:37 pm

RELATIVES of the Rescue 116 tragedy visited the site on the first anniversary of the tragedy today.

Grieving family and friends made a poignant trip to the scene of the disaster which claimed four lives last year.

Hero pilots Dara Fitzpatrick and Mark Duffy, and winch crew Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith, died on March 14, 2017, when their Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crashed at Blackrock Island, 13km west of Blacksod.

On the first anniversary of the disaster, a number of loved ones visited the site and comforted one another with prayers and well wishes.

A short ceremony was also held at the helipad earlier in the week, which included lighting five emergency flares in memory of the crew.

A source close to the victims’ families last night admitted the first commemoration of the accident had hit home hard.

The insider explained: “Some of the relatives visited the site at Blacksod yesterday and it was heartbreaking.

“It just made it all so real. It’s been an extremely difficult 12 months.

The last communication from the aircraft came at 12.46am, with Blacksod Lighthouse advising they had no communication with Rescue 116 at 1.08am.

A mayday alert was issued by the Malin broadcast minutes later, and an extensive search and rescue operation was launched.

Examinations of the “black box” recorder and fuselage recovered show that the aircraft pitched upright rapidly seconds before the collision.

Investigators noted that communications between the crew members en route to Blacksod to refuel were “mission-focused and considered, with minimal extraneous conversation”.

It is also stated that Capt Fitzpatrick, who was the commander on the mission, commented to the other crew members that, according to the report,
“it had been a substantial period of time since she had previously landed at Blacksod”.

“On one occasion, the commander asked the co-pilot [Capt Duffy] when he had last been into Blacksod and he indicated that he had not been there recently,” the report stated.

Earlier this year, the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) said it was still in the process of gathering factual and background information.

They had hoped to have completed the probe by the time of the anniversary but recently admitted this would not be possible.

In its statement, the AAIU said it “again extends its condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this accident”.

It explained: “International convention, and associated national and European legislation, require that, if a final report cannot be made publicly available within 12 months of the date of the accident, an interim statement detailing the progress of the investigation and any safety issues raised, will be made publicly available.

“The AAIU wishes to advise that due to the depth and breadth of this investigation, it will not be possible to issue a final report within 12 months of the date of the accident and therefore an interim statement will be published,” it said.

“The investigation is endeavouring to issue this interim statement before the anniversary; however, it is not possible to say at this time when the interim statement will be published.”

It recommended that CHC Ireland, which provides the helicopter service for the Irish Coast Guard, review and re-evaluate all route guides used by search and rescue helicopters.

It also identified a flaw in installation of locator beacons on the crew life-jackets.

CHC Ireland has said it has “established, documented and implemented an integrated safety system” and continues to collaborate with others, including regulators to improve safety across the rotorcraft industry.

But despite months of extensive searching, the remains of Ormsby and Lynch have yet to be recovered.

The Irish Coast Guard has vowed to do everything in its power to bring them home and urged people to keep the faith.

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In a statement last year, it vowed: “[They were] people that lived their lives day to day, ready to come to the aid of strangers at a moment’s notice, and put themselves in harm’s way, so others may live.